Results 15,521-15,540 of 46,575 for speaker:Simon Harris

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Legislation (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 65 together. It is my absolute intention that people can access termination of pregnancy services safely. My Department and An Garda Síochána have been closely monitoring the situation since termination of pregnancy services commenced in January this year. As part of our examination of the issue, I recently met with the Commissioner of An...

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Maternity Strategy Expenditure (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I can confirm that additional development funding will be provided to the HSE National Women & Infants Health Programme in 2020 to support the continued implementation of the National Maternity Strategy. The funding will enable us to build manpower capacity in maternity services, including the recruitment of additional consultant obstetricians/gynaecologists, in order to provide...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Health Services Staff Recruitment (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Debt Collection (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: Patient charges are a key element of the overall funding envelope of the Irish health system and are taken into account when agreeing the Annual Estimates and the subsequent preparation of the annual National Service Plan.   These charges typically include: -Out-patient charges - Emergency Department charges - Daily in-patient charges - Long-term stay charges Cohorts of people are...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Waiting Lists Action Plans (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: Improving access to hospital appointments and procedures in a key commitment of Government. The HSE Management Data Report (MDR) reports on HSE activity against Key Performance Indicators as set out in the National Service Plan for 2019. Under the National Service Plan 2019, the target for all hospital groups, including Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), is for 80% of people to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The Health Service Executive recently published its Capital Plan for 2019-2021. The plan includes capital funding for the Community Nursing Unit programme and also sets out the current status of all projects within the programme, including the refurbishment and extension of St. Joseph's Community Hospital, Millstreet. The Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of public...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Cross-Border Health Initiatives (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 88 together. The HSE is responsible for the operation of the Cross Border Directive and the management of the HSE Cross Border Directive (CBD) office is an operational matter for the HSE.  The HSE has advised that the scheme is operating with an increasing workload and currently has a backlog of up to 4 months claims/applications (approx....

Written Answers — Department of Health: Budget 2020 (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: Budget 2020 sets out a budget of over €18.3 billion for health and social care services, the highest budget ever allocated. The Health budget increased by €1.2 billion on 2019, a substantial additional level of funding. The amount allocated follows an extensive process of engagement between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, which considered both...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Newborn Screening Cards (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: A National Screening Committee is being established and will hold its first meeting before the end of 2019, as per recommendation 5, contained within the Scally Review (2018). The Committee’s role will be to undertake an independent assessment of the evidence for screening for a particular condition against internationally accepted criteria and make recommendations accordingly.  ...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Nursing Staff Data (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I have asked the HSE to respond directly to the Deputy on this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Abortion Legislation (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Deputy will be aware, section 23 of the Health (Regulation of Termination of Pregnancy) Act 2018 sets out the offences under the legislation.  Section 23 states that it is an offence for a person, by any means whatsoever, to intentionally end the life of a foetus otherwise than in accordance with the provisions of the Act.  It is also an offence for a person to...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Healthcare Infrastructure Provision (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: As the Health Service Executive is responsible for the delivery of healthcare infrastructure projects, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly in relation to this matter.

Written Answers — Department of Health: National Children's Hospital (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I advised Government in December 2018 that the final cost of the design, build and equipment programme for which the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board is responsible was estimated to be €1,433 million. There has been no change to this figure advised to Government. Since the conclusion of the GMP Process there has been no change to the design intent for the new...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Parking Charges (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: As the HSE has responsibility for the provision, along with the maintenance and operation of Primary Care Centres and other Primary Care facilities, the Executive has been asked to reply directly to the Deputy.

Written Answers — Department of Health: Medicinal Products Availability (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The HSE has statutory responsibility for medicine pricing and reimbursement decisions, in accordance with the Health (Pricing and Supply of Medical Goods) Act 2013.  The Act specifies the criteria for decisions on the reimbursement of medicines.  In line with the 2013 Act and the national framework agreed with industry, if a company would like a medicine to be reimbursed by the HSE,...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Consultant Remuneration (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: The Public Sector Pay Commission in its Report published in September 2018 identified difficulties in attracting consultant applications for many posts at present and acknowledged that the pay rates for new entrants had been highlighted as a factor in this. The Commission proposed that the Parties to the Public Service Stability Agreement jointly consider what measures could be taken, over...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Overcrowding (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: According to provisional HSE TrolleyGAR data, there was a 36.5% increase in patients counted waiting on trolleys at 8am in Cork University Hospital ED for the year to date as of the end of September 2019 compared to the same period last year. In the month of September 2019, there were 789 patients counted on trolleys in Cork University Hospital, which was a 15.3% decrease compared to the...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Brexit Issues (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: As part of the whole-of-government response to Brexit, the Department of Health has established dedicated structures to manage the approach to preparing for the UK’s exit from the EU. The Department, the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) and the Health Service Executive (HSE), with the full support of stakeholders, are implementing a comprehensive and coordinated set of...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Appointments Delays (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: I am conscious that waiting times are often unacceptably long and of the burden that this places on patients and their families. In this regard, the Government is committed to improving waiting times for hospital appointments and procedures.   Waiting list figures for the end of September, due to be published by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF) later this week, show that...

Written Answers — Department of Health: Hospital Services (10 Oct 2019)

Simon Harris: As this is a service matter, I have asked the Health Service Executive to respond to you directly as soon as possible